[pitlove]

Hi Anja-

No, that is a myth. Not that carbs break down into sugar, because they do, but that the sugar feeds yeast. As I said earlier Malassezia is a fat loving yeast, specifically the oils on the skin.

Molly- You’re welcome! Best of luck with the new food.

Oh also, take a look at Malaseb shampoo to aid in killing the excess yeast. It has really helped my pitbull during the summer months when his environmental allergies start flaring up. I bathe him twice a week when it’s really bad.

[pitlove]

Hi again Molly-

Sorry you’re still having some issues with your pup. Just to correct some inaccurate info, carbs do not feed yeast. Malassezia yeast is the yeast found on the skin and the most common yeast dogs get. Malassezia is a fat loving yeast, however not dietary fats. Oils on the skin sort of fats. Eliminating or decreasing grains will have no effect on the yeast unless she is indeed having an allergic reaction to the grains. Then and only then will removing them from her diet help. Reason being is that yeast is symptomatic of something else that is surpressing the immune system (such as allergies) and causing the once in control population of yeast to become out of control because the immune system is too weak to control it.

While searching for another food, you can not simply just switch randomly without making sure the food you’re feeding is safe for a LBP. Before feeding Coastal Catch, I would email EarthBorn and ask for an up to date nutrient analysis and run the Ca and Phos through the calcium calculator on here. Remember, Hound Dog Mom’s list is over 2 years old and companies can change their formulas in that time frame.

[anonymous]

Food allergies are rare. Food sensitivities usually result in GI disturbances such as vomiting and diarrhea. Environmental allergies usually result in pruritus (itching).

Have you tried the search engine here, this subject comes up at least once a week.

Hope this helps:

By Klaus Loft, DVM
Angell Dermatology Service

Anyone who suffers debilitating environmental allergies tied to changing seasons, pet dander or household dust mites knows first-hand the misery of a scratchy throat, itchy eyes or painful rashes.

Not everyone knows, however, that our pets can experience similar allergic reactions — and other very bothersome dermatological issues. But our pets need not suffer in silence. Modern veterinary science has evolved such that advanced, comprehensive treatments are now available to treat a range of skin conditions.

Top pet dermatological issues

Our four-legged friends suffer from some of the same skin issues as we do — and several that we do not. The most common conditions we see at Angell include:

•Parasites, such as mites, fleas and mange (scabies)
•Infectious diseases, such as Staphylococcal pyoderma (“Staph”) skin infections, yeast and fungal infections and skin fold infections
•Systemic diseases, such as autoimmune diseases
•Skin cancer, such as Squamous cell carcinoma, cutaneous lymphoma, Mast cell tumors
•Allergies, such as flea allergy dermatitis, adverse food reactions, environmental allergies, etc.

All of these conditions can become serious and, if untreated, dramatically reduce quality of life. But the tremendous strides made in veterinary innovation, however, is very good news for our pets. Specifically, the testing and treatments for allergies now rivals human healthcare in its sophistication, quality of care and long-term health outcomes.

Unlike humans, dogs and cats cannot tell us about their dermatological health issues. So we as pet owners must look for the signs. The most common indicators that a pet is suffering from some kind of allergy involve frequent episodes of ear infections, red raised or open sores on the skin, constant licking or biting of paws or groin — sometimes causing wounds that will not go away.

Allergies present a particular challenge because there can be hundreds (even thousands) of potential allergens that impact pet health, from foods to pollen from grasses, weeds, trees, dust mites and more. Today’s specialty veterinary hospitals have access to the very latest diagnostic tests to get to the bottom of what’s ailing our pet. Among these tests is the Intra Dermal Test (IDT).

IDT is generally considered the gold standard of testing for identifying allergens that cause pets to suffer from chronic skin and/or ear diseases. IDT involves injections of a series of concentrated allergens into the skin to determine which of them generate allergic reactions in a given animal. The use of fluorescein — a chemical that illuminates the inflammation caused by the injected allergens in order to visualize the strength of individual reactions — is key to accurately diagnosing pet allergies, and is just one of the many ways veterinarians use new technologies to improve care and diagnostics.

The results of IDT (as well as a review of the pet’s medical history) can then inform comprehensive immunotherapy treatments to relieve suffering. Veterinary dermatologists rely on IDT to build customized treatment plans for patients called Allergen Specific Immuno Therapy or “ASIT” for short.

ASIT involves a series of injections specifically created for the allergic animal’s skin. These injections, of diluted allergens, are designed to make a pet less sensitive to their allergens over time. In most cases these injections must be continued for life to reduce symptoms, but they are highly effective. Seventy to 90 percent of pets experience a reduction in symptoms as a result of ASIT treatment. These treatments can be delivered even more easily via droplets under the tongue, perfect for pet owners who are squeamish about giving injections to their pet.

This treatment is very new to the North American field of medicine (both human and veterinary) and underscores just how far innovation in veterinary medicine has come.

When it’s time to see the vet

Many pet owners are understandably concerned about taking their animals to the veterinarian because the cost (to say nothing of the fear some animals experience when going do the doctor) may outweigh any perceived reduction in suffering. To help pet owners know when it’s time to bring Fido to the doctor I’ve compiled my “Top Ten” list of dermatological symptoms that should never be ignored:

•Intense itching of the skin (head shaking, running the face into the carpet, furniture, etc.)
•Biting at the skin that creates red, raw crusting areas of the skin
•Multiple ear infections (head shaking, odor from ears, scratching at the ears with hind legs)
•Paw licking or chewing and frequent infections of the skin in the webbed skin of the paws
•Staining of the fur of the paws and nails on multiple feet
•Reoccurring skin infections in the groin, under the shoulders, perianal areas (on or under the tail)
•Greasy scaling skin and/or fur with odorous skin
•Hair loss, or thinning of the fur
•Dark pigmentation of the skin that is chronically infected
•Sudden depigmentation of skin

Allergies and other dermatological issues can be as frustrating for pet owners and their veterinarians as they can be for pets. I encourage any pet owner whose animal is experiencing any of these symptoms to consult with their veterinarian.

Dermatology – Common Issues

[Susan]

Hi Nicci, can you afford a pre-made raw diet or cook her food?? I have read bad things about the Dynovite, your better off balancing the cooked meal with something else, add about 3 small sardines to one of her meals a day, you need to make sure you keep up her omega 3… Tin Sardines in Spring water are excellent for their skin, joints, brain, heart…

You could buy a bag of the Kirklands & try it & see if she has a reaction just take it back & say she wont eat it if she reacts… don’t forget she could be having environment allergies to grass, trees, plants flowers, it may not be the food….

Baths, weekly baths or bath as soon as she starts scratching real bad, bathing washes off any pollens, allergens on their skin that’s causing them to itch & scratch. Patch is bathed weekly every Thursday in Malaseb medicated shampoo & leave on for a good 5mins the bath lady massages him as long as she can & after his bath he feels so much better…. he eats “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb & I feed a cooked meal for dinner…
3
Go on Rodney Habib Face book page & follow him he posted a easy to make balanced raw diet made by Dr Karen Becker, you can cook it as well everything can be bought from supermarket.. he also has so much good info

[Lazaro B]

Thanks everyone for your advice. He has no IBS or IBD. He does lick his paws, but they are not red or raw. He does scratch, but not to an extent. The more I read the comments, the more it seems to make sense that it could be environmental allergies. As of right now, I’m almost done with the transition from WEF GRAIN FREE HEALTHY WEIGHT to FROMM whitefish formula. Malaseb shampoo is something I’ve seen and heard of. I’ll have to check it out. VeRUS is something I’ll check out also. I do want him to have some variety when it comes to his dog food which is why I want him eat at least 2 other types of limited protein sources, like bison and venison or beef. I will also look into California naturals and Wellness.

[Susan]

Hi Lazaro, it very rare for dogs to be allergic to meat/proteins & when they are they will normally suffer with stomach & bowel problems (IBS & IBD) are you sure your dog doesn’t have environment allergies, my boy has both Seasonal allergies, he starts itching, scratching & has red paws when spring starts & he also has food sensitivities, he will have sloppy poo, wind/gas pain & red paws after he eats chicken.. He’s been diagnosed with IBD. When he eats barley, corn, wheat, oats ingredients in vet diets or supermarket kibbles he starts to smell real yeasty & is real itchy but doesn’t have his sloppy poos or wind/gas problems, just become real smelly of yeast….

The only way you can be 100% positive what ingredients he is sensitive too is to do a cooked or raw elimination diet.. Its real easy, if you think he cant eat chicken then cook some chicken breast, cut into small pieces, just bring the chicken to the boil & take off stove & rinse in boiling water & its ready & also boil some sweet potato, you can freeze small meals, enough for 2 weeks..

Do not mix all the kibbles together, Why?? just scoop out of your air tight container the kibble you what to feed & when introducing a new kibble just open both kibbles & add the recommended amount over the 7 day period.. I feed 1 brand kibble for breakfast then for dinner I feed another brand kibble or a cooked meal..

Your best to feed a limited ingredient fish kibble cause the omega 3 is what is needed for the skin, fish kibbles are normally higher in omega 3 fatty acids…

Baths you should be bathing once a week to wash off any pollens & allergen on his skin & paws, I use Malaseb medicated shampoo, it leaves the skin & coat feeling real soft & kills any bacteria on their skin & paws……You can bath daily with the Malaseb medicated shampoo…I walk Patch 3-4 times a day as well & sometimes he’ll come home & start itching, so on his walk a plant or grass has started to irritate his skin & paws, that’s when I have to bath him if he’s uncomfortable with itch, baths make them feel more comfortable when they are itchy,

Fleas, some dogs have Flea allergies they are allergic to the fleas salvia, 1 bite & my boy will scratch for days, so make sure your boy doesn’t have 1-2 fleas that’s causing him to itch, again weekly baths & a flea spot on will help stop any fleas..

Limited ingredient kibbles, “Wellness Simple” Salmon & Potato, “Wellness Complete Health” Grain Free.
http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/dog-wellness.aspx

“California Natural” has kibbles with just 3 ingredients…
http://www.californianaturalpet.com/products

[Bullwrinkle]

Sorry, it posted the same one twice!

Actually, also about my little boy, the 61lb bowling ball, he also has environmental allergies. Not yet sure which is more prevalent/dominant, food or environment. Have the same routine of clean I did with Maggie Mae. But he has much deeper folds and way bigger feet. Gets interdigital cysts, poor guy.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 5 months ago by Bullwrinkle. Reason: Duplicate post
• This reply was modified 9 years, 5 months ago by Bullwrinkle. Reason: Forgot something

[Bullwrinkle]

Hi Susan.I agree completely and the idiot was a total pill pusher, I don’t think she knew any better. I went thru so many foods, too many to count. She had chronic UTIs, was on antibiotics on and off until I told the idiot enough, there’s clearly a problem and ABs are not the answer. Every food gave her loose stools, even with probiotics, referred to an allergist, did the blood serum allergy, tried allergy shots which almost killed her. Not long after increasing the allergens, she went into anaphylaxis, never driven so fast in my life. Scariest 48hrs ever. Allergist/dermatologist admitted nothing of course, idiot defended derm, I was so done. Good vet found the problem at first visit: bladder stones. Again, please remember I’m dealing with 5 special needs cats and a tortoise with a deformed shell (she passed in her sleep at 8 yrs old, 9 days after I had to let my 17 yr old cat go, and Speed Bump was supposed to live for at least 80 yrs. It was a genetic defect.)

So, vet, minimally invasive to almost holistic, flushes the bladder so we can find out what kind of stone. He is a Hills Pet Science Diet guy though. At the time, I was desperate. I also had never heard of a vegetarian diet for dogs. So, we go with prescription w/d as it also has high fiber. Her stool was the most perfect it had ever been and allergy was no worse. Skin got bad as she got a little older but i got a shampoo and conditioning regiment, and she was always bathed every 7-10 days (2-3x/week as a puppy, had demodex), and that helped big. So, since I had to consider the bigger health issue of the stones w/the secondary UTIs, I removed everything else to try and keep the allergies at the manageable threshold. Like I said, the prednisone was an absolute last resort. I’d give her a different allergy pill, an extra bath, I always wiped her down with a wet rag when she came inside, I’m an overprotective mom and I hated, hated giving those things to her. But sometimes, something would get set off and she would go bonkers. And when 1 roid gave her 2-3 days of relief? And then shes past it and any reaction in her body is also relieved. I couldn’t let her suffer through that.

Was that the best food? Probably not. But the other options for stones had really bad effects. And I still researched but never found, and was never told anything about vegetarian diets (saw a different idiot in a new state at this point).

I’d never heard of Messazzia yeast til this site. I’d be interested in your allergy group. I have a little boy now and his nose fold, aye, I cannot get it to heal. I’m pretty sure he does not get along with coconut oil, I know he has allergy to fish especially salmon, probably potato, def bison, very likely Venison. He’s on Hills DermDefense. Was doing great, except his nose fold, but all of a sudden, he’s getting bumps, his eye folds are bare, I’m about to lose it. DermDefense is chicken based so I’m thinking I have to stay away from chicken. But turkey should be OK, Right? I’m thinking of doing a freeze dried or something like the Farmers Dog, anyone hear of it? I’m not really in a position to cook his meals.

Honestly, for me, Apoquel scares me to death. Maybe because of my experience with Atopica. I just want people to be informed about drugs like that. I am open to any suggestions, the ones here are always so helpful. Thank you to all

[Bullwrinkle]

Frani V.,

Hello, all. I finally registered but have sought all your great for a long time. As for Frani V’s question on Atopica, I can only tell you my personal experience and what I know of others I’ve spoken with and what I learned from my vet, that also applies to APOQUEL (I will note the similarities, and try to locate the link which I do have).

Atopica was suggested by by vet #1 to my English Bulldog. She had severe allergies, food and environmental, among other medical issues. My precious special needs baby girl. She was a spayed at 6 mos, so this was some time after. It was suggested that we start out 7x/week administering Atopica. The idea was to get it built up in her system then back off to 2 or 3x/week max as is recommended. She was ~47 lbs, she was prescribed the 100mg Atopica. Checking in every 2 weeks, since I was paying $170 a pop, I was told to keep it up for a few months. Forget that. I started to skip one day a week, then 2 days a week. Of course she had flares so idiot vet said back to everyday. I was still dealing with her other maladies during this time, plus 5 aging cats with their issues ranging from failing kidneys, asthma, hypertrophic cardiomyothapy, a tortoise with a collapsing pyramid shell, the usual, so time escaped me too quickly. I ended up finding a good vet because of a botched knee surgery from idiot’s referral. Blessing in disguise.

My baby started having seizures. It was sounds or over excited that set it off. I realized she had been on Atopica at 100mg every single day for a solid year. Seizures tend to be more prevalent in smaller dogs but they do happen and were documented. It has happened to all kinds of dogs. But, it has worked for many others as well although, I was not privy to those dogs histories. This was some, maybe 7 yrs ago now, at least. I pulled her off everything except for any allergy pills and only when she needed them. She had 4 seizures, when I stopped all meds and supplements, no more seizures. After a few weeks, I added her fish oil and joint supplement back one at a time and a month apart. No seizure. Atopica was the seizure producer. I lit up the idiot about it, told her she really needs to more careful or at least more informed. Told I would do the same as I was leaving her practice.

The good vet, as he described Atopica to me, and is similar to what I’ve found and read about Apoquel. It shuts off immune receptors. And when you have an immune compromised dog, or cat, to begin with the last thing you want to do is shut off receptors because you don’t know what else is being shut off or being compromised. Immunosuppressive have their place, don’t get me wrong, and I relied on the occasional 5mg prednisone in lieu of giving my girl a fistful of benadryl that would only work for a few hours when she was really bad. But only after I’d tried everything else. Pred was a last resort. So do I believe in their use? Yes. But ever so carefully and not on a regular basis like Atopica and Apoquel.

I can’t get the link to hyperlink but this has some interesting info. http://vitalanimal.com/apoquel-dog-1/

Sorry this was such a long post, but I get anxious when I see questions about Atopica. I had to let my baby go, it’ll be 2 yrs in Dec. She was only 8yrs 4mos. She taught me so much, she endured too much, her kidneys took it in the end. I became quite educated but even our own dogs are so different from each other. I still feel I didn’t learn fast enough for her. Please, please do your research thoroughly on Atopica and Apoquel. Apoquel is still relatively new. You know your pet best!

[pitlove]

Hi Molly-

Yes unfortuntely Purina has gotten a bad reputation, partly due to other companies slandering them. For my dogs personally, Pro Plan is the first food that worked in every aspect for us. Solved my pit’s allergies, something they will eat and something that agrees with their stomachs. I work at a small pet store that carries “premium” foods, so I’ve had an opportunity to try just about all of them. I couldn’t find anything that my pitbull could have that he actually would eat. He’d rather starve than eat some of the “better” foods.

I definitely would agree with Aimee on this one though. I’d stay with Purina ONE. Best of luck!

[Donna G B]

HI Lazaro,
My name is Donna, I have 3 Yorkie’s and they all
have allergies to one degree or another. My 13 year old boy has had them the longest. I will say, I am not a DVM
Dogtor but I have been learning everyday. You see I won”t have another can or package of dogfood in my house.
I bought them the high price foods and then had to put my older on precription diet. He had blood work to find
Out about his allergies. Some people start off
With ground beef (boiled), white rice (because it’s easier to digest and some ground peas. They feed it for a month or
so, if he hasn’t gotten a reaction then add something else. When you grind vegetables and fruit they digest it better.
If it was in chunks he would’t get much nutrition. During that time get on Facebook and join the site Homemade Food for dogs. Look for Emily and she will help you. You can then begin to stay like you are OR continue to add & eliminate. If you get on that site and don’t see Emily’s name then go to the other site. It will cost you less to home cook your babies meals than to buy dog foods. Especially if you are not sure what the allergie/allergies are.
ANYWAY my older kid was on this precription dog food for
gray and look awful. and during that time he got heart murmer, then startedgoing blind, he has a leaky heart valve, he gets yeast Infection at the drop of a hat. He has High blood pressure, a growth on his Kidney etc., etc. I took a can of this GOOD FOOD to the computer room and typed in to words I didn’t know what was, 1 was a ingredient found in CARDBOARD, yes sir ree, the 2nd was SAWDUST, I Almost fell off my chair. NO CANNED OR KIBBLE IN THIS HOUSE AGAIN.
Good luck you and your little fur kid. Cooking for them is fun. OH YES, when you cook your food you need to add 800-1000 mg. of Calcium Citrate OR 1/2 tsp. egg shells all ground up. Measure out 1-lb of food add it and mix it up until you are finished with the food you made. You can double or triple your food and put it into containers and freeze it. Works GREAT!!!!

[anonymous]

My dog with environmental allergies and a sensitive stomach does well on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea https://www.chewy.com/nutrisca-grain-free-salmon-chickpea/dp/35033
See the reviews

BTW: Food allergies are rare, food sensitivities usually tend to show up as stomach issues such as diarrhea and vomiting, environmental allergies usually manifest as “itching”
Hopefully it’s a mild case, seasonal….if that’s what it is. Try bathing with a mild shampoo such as Malaseb, see the vet if it gets worse.

[Alissa D]

We had the full range of allergy tests done through Heska and have been working with different vets trying to find the right combo of allergy medication, steroids, and immunothetapy. She’s allergic to 37 other common things besides her food allergies. Apoquel is finally available in my area so hopefully that works better than what she’s on now.

I’ll cook for her as soon as I’m home but I’m away at college and my mom just won’t make food for her. She’s super picky and won’t eat for days at a time if she doesn’t like it. She’ll be throwing up stomach acid before she decides to eat. There are more canned foods she can eat but she won’t eat any of them. That’s why I’m looking for dry food. Hopefully the one I found works. I ordered some and had it sent to my mom’s house.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 6 months ago by Alissa D. Reason: Spelling error

[Alissa D]

Hi!
My little yorkie is allergic to most of the common dry food ingredients. A few years ago I found two kinds she could eat but I can’t find them anymore. I’m looking for a new one, preferably one that comes in small bags since she’s allergic to storage mites as well. She’s allergic to beef, chicken, lamb, venison, milk, barley, flax, peas, and soy. She might also be allergic to fish, I can’t figure out the vet’s note on the paperwork they gave me and they didn’t remember what it meant from when they wrote it a few years ago. I’m looking for a dry food based on turkey, pork, rabbit, duck, or something else weird. The vet’s only suggestion was a kangaroo based wet food that she won’t eat. I’ve been searching but I can’t find anything. I also can’t make my own dog food right now since I’m away for college and my mom is taking care of her and doesn’t really have time for that.
Does anyone know of anything that might work?

[Lana A]

I don’t understand why DogFoodAdviser gave new Champion Dog Food made in US one of the highest rating in spite of so many complaints.
I went to my pet store few days ago to pick up the dog food and since I know the owner, we chatted for like an hour, she told me she used to order Orijen and Acana every single week by truck load and it would be gone within a week. She didn’t order new for the last 3 weeks and still have on the shelf the ones she ordered a month ago. She told me she never had to hear so many complaints in such a short time for a single company. Main complain is dog scratching, something in new formula cause allergies. Few vomiting and diarrhea. I’m so happy that I didn’t take the chance to try the food made in US and transitioned my dog to the different brand while I had Canada made Acana.
C C, your case is the worst I’ve heard so far and kind of similar what my dog went through few years ago when Canidae changed their formula, in addition to your dog symptoms my border collie also was pooping blood. Vet visits with all the tests cost me a lot. He was on rice and chicken for over a month. What really helped my dog was my veterinarian advise to get heavy on probiotic in addition to chicken and rice. I started my dog on Wholistic Pet Organics Acidophilus, double of recommended dosage for the first week, then went with regular recommended dosage for his size. My vet was right, I saw the difference within the first few days. Now my dog getting probiotic daily and it does wonder to his sensitive stomach.
I hope your dog will feel better soon.

[Jenn H]

My pup, his mother and a littermate all began suffering from similar skin problems at the beginning of spring. Not to the severity of your dog. It appears to be environmental allergies with them.
For my puppy I would use a product I have for my horse. Eqyss Micro-Tek shampoo. “Soothes on contact”. Then I would spray the really bad areas with Eqyss Micro-Tek Equine Spray. (They do make it for dogs. It’s the same stuff, but more costly.) This stuff is amazing. I’ve used it on myself.
For his ears I use epi-otic from the vet. When I ran out I put the equine spray on a cotton ball. Make sure to dry out the ears when you clean them.
He also gets raw honey from a neighbor 2x/day. That has been the ultimate fix. As long as he gets the honey he doesn’t have any problems. After 1 wk without it he begins to get itchy and hot spots. Same with his brother.
Honey must be raw, wildflower honey that is within 50 miles from home.

Food intolerance could certainly be a factor for your dog. I would try an elimination diet if you think that’s a cause.

Tick borne diseases can go into remission and you may never have another flare up again. I have another dog that has had Ehrlichia and now Lyme. I have a bunch of horses with Lyme also. I haven’t known any of them to present with those symptoms you described.
You really need to make sure the dog has a tick borne illness before giving doxy. It’s a pretty hardcore antibiotic. You certainly don’t want to give it needlessly. It can also cause stomach issues. Maybe your dog isn’t breaking down proteins well. If they do have a tick borne illness then the immune system is already taxed. The slightest allergen can become a big problem. My girl takes a probiotic (2 hrs before or after her antibiotic when on it) to help her immune system and minimize the side effects of doxy as much as possible. Fortiflora has been working great for her. She’s on it indefinitely right now, but I continue probiotics at least 2 wks after antibiotic treatment has stopped.

[Michael F]

Hi, I was just wondering what part of the country do you live in? My border collie did well in Arizona but did horribly bad in Florida and they put him on Atopica which did seem to help, in between he had also been on several vacations to Michigan where he was also much better. In the end it was determined that he actually did not have allergies like the vets thought, he had lymes disease which had gone undetected in Northern Florida as they don’t have it there and unknown to us their snap test used there did not test for that. Once we treated him for Lymes and stopped the Atopica all problems went away, he did live to be almost 17 years old, however because he had lived with untreated Lymes disease for so long he developed bad lymes related arthritis in his later years. Inconclusion it seemed the Lymes disease was creating his allergy problems, even so, the problems were not as severe in the other states as they were in Florida, although we did still live in Florida for awhile after having the Lymes treated and he did not seem to be bothered anymore. Like you we tried many different foods and special bath’s but nothing seemed to help. He suffered for 4 years before it finally stopped and then lived another eleven years and felt good.

[anonymous]

Please consider making an appointment with a board-certified veterinary dermatologist, asap. Environmental allergies have nothing to do with the food. If you care to disclose the state/location you are in, I will do a search regarding a dermatologist. Allergies don’t go away and they get worse with age. The good news is that the condition does respond to treatment, but, it is lifelong treatment as there is no cure.

per the search engine here /forums/search/allergies/

PS: I had to change my user name to anonymous 101, formally anonymously….in case that concerns some of the regulars here.

Hope this helps:

By Klaus Loft, DVM
Angell Dermatology Service

Anyone who suffers debilitating environmental allergies tied to changing seasons, pet dander or household dust mites knows first-hand the misery of a scratchy throat, itchy eyes or painful rashes.

Not everyone knows, however, that our pets can experience similar allergic reactions — and other very bothersome dermatological issues. But our pets need not suffer in silence. Modern veterinary science has evolved such that advanced, comprehensive treatments are now available to treat a range of skin conditions.

Top pet dermatological issues

Our four-legged friends suffer from some of the same skin issues as we do — and several that we do not. The most common conditions we see at Angell include:

•Parasites, such as mites, fleas and mange (scabies)
•Infectious diseases, such as Staphylococcal pyoderma (“Staph”) skin infections, yeast and fungal infections and skin fold infections
•Systemic diseases, such as autoimmune diseases
•Skin cancer, such as Squamous cell carcinoma, cutaneous lymphoma, Mast cell tumors
•Allergies, such as flea allergy dermatitis, adverse food reactions, environmental allergies, etc.

All of these conditions can become serious and, if untreated, dramatically reduce quality of life. But the tremendous strides made in veterinary innovation, however, is very good news for our pets. Specifically, the testing and treatments for allergies now rivals human healthcare in its sophistication, quality of care and long-term health outcomes.

Unlike humans, dogs and cats cannot tell us about their dermatological health issues. So we as pet owners must look for the signs. The most common indicators that a pet is suffering from some kind of allergy involve frequent episodes of ear infections, red raised or open sores on the skin, constant licking or biting of paws or groin — sometimes causing wounds that will not go away.

Allergies present a particular challenge because there can be hundreds (even thousands) of potential allergens that impact pet health, from foods to pollen from grasses, weeds, trees, dust mites and more. Today’s specialty veterinary hospitals have access to the very latest diagnostic tests to get to the bottom of what’s ailing our pet. Among these tests is the Intra Dermal Test (IDT).

IDT is generally considered the gold standard of testing for identifying allergens that cause pets to suffer from chronic skin and/or ear diseases. IDT involves injections of a series of concentrated allergens into the skin to determine which of them generate allergic reactions in a given animal. The use of fluorescein — a chemical that illuminates the inflammation caused by the injected allergens in order to visualize the strength of individual reactions — is key to accurately diagnosing pet allergies, and is just one of the many ways veterinarians use new technologies to improve care and diagnostics.

The results of IDT (as well as a review of the pet’s medical history) can then inform comprehensive immunotherapy treatments to relieve suffering. Veterinary dermatologists rely on IDT to build customized treatment plans for patients called Allergen Specific Immuno Therapy or “ASIT” for short.

ASIT involves a series of injections specifically created for the allergic animal’s skin. These injections, of diluted allergens, are designed to make a pet less sensitive to their allergens over time. In most cases these injections must be continued for life to reduce symptoms, but they are highly effective. Seventy to 90 percent of pets experience a reduction in symptoms as a result of ASIT treatment. These treatments can be delivered even more easily via droplets under the tongue, perfect for pet owners who are squeamish about giving injections to their pet.

This treatment is very new to the North American field of medicine (both human and veterinary) and underscores just how far innovation in veterinary medicine has come.

When it’s time to see the vet

Many pet owners are understandably concerned about taking their animals to the veterinarian because the cost (to say nothing of the fear some animals experience when going do the doctor) may outweigh any perceived reduction in suffering. To help pet owners know when it’s time to bring Fido to the doctor I’ve compiled my “Top Ten” list of dermatological symptoms that should never be ignored:

•Intense itching of the skin (head shaking, running the face into the carpet, furniture, etc.)
•Biting at the skin that creates red, raw crusting areas of the skin
•Multiple ear infections (head shaking, odor from ears, scratching at the ears with hind legs)
•Paw licking or chewing and frequent infections of the skin in the webbed skin of the paws
•Staining of the fur of the paws and nails on multiple feet
•Reoccurring skin infections in the groin, under the shoulders, perianal areas (on or under the tail)
•Greasy scaling skin and/or fur with odorous skin
•Hair loss, or thinning of the fur
•Dark pigmentation of the skin that is chronically infected
•Sudden depigmentation of skin

Allergies and other dermatological issues can be as frustrating for pet owners and their veterinarians as they can be for pets. I encourage any pet owner whose animal is experiencing any of these symptoms to consult with their veterinarian.

[tara k]

I have a 5 year old Yellow Lab. He was the most beautiful puppy you’ve ever seen but by the time he was 2, his skin situation started to go down fast. I have been to 5 vets. Initially, I was told, just allergies…sorry about your bad luck. I was also told that he had a tick born infection and given doxycycline (no clue if this is related). when he continued to get worse, I tried another vet, who did a bunch of blood work and skin scrapes, said his Thyroid was fine, but that he had ring worm. Gave me anti fungal meds and special shampoo. That may have helped a bit and briefly, but no substantial change. Making me think that ringworm was definitely not his problem. I also had another dog and two children. No one else got ringworm. If that matters. Enter vets 3&4 (at the same practice, but seen each on different visits): more skin scrapes and blood work. tick disease apparently never goes away and still shows. More doxy. Also, no sign of ring worm. (Not saying he didn’t have it, but if so it was gone by then). Constant ear infections and seemingly bacterial infection all over. So we did the ear thing with the syringe that you inject deep down in the ear canal. Twice. Seemed to help ears but again, not great. Now at vet 5, who has him on 2 adult doses of Claritin daily, 1 prednisone daily and 2 Cephalexin daily (for chronic bacterial infection) and fish oil. Throughout this process, he has had the ear canal thing several more times, and it does help for awhile, but never completely. If he goes off the Cephalexin for any amount of time, he immediately goes down hill, which when you are only half way up the hill at best, this is not good! We have tried sulphur dips, coal tar shampoos (which help more than any other type, but still not the answer). I have tried multiple foods, and even cooked his food for a long while. I can tell no measurable difference with any of the foods we have tried.

He itches constantly, smells worse than anything I can describe, his feet and ears are awful almost always, and his hair is greasy feeling and pretty sparse, his skin is black and thick on his belly and inside of legs. He can not tolerate a tick bite, as it swells up around it and getting it out is an ordeal, and the skin on his back seems red and irritated all the time. Now he seems to just really feel like crap all the time. He looks more like a 12 year old than a 5 year old. It’s very heartbreaking, as he is really great dog otherwise. I am open to anything you can suggest.

[Deborah C]

I’m looking for a fish ingredient dog food, dry and canned for my Corgi-Spaniel Mix that does NOT have any Chicken, as Chicken makes her ITCH like crazy. Any recommendations for a “budget friendly” brand to investigate??

[Laura H]

Hello. Good morning all.

Yesterday,talking to a friend,we discussed several brands of food and he mentioned(will name the brands) to have tried Taste of The Wild and ANF with his dogs,to me these are the best brands available where I live (Dominican Republic) & that both caused his dogs (a Little and a Mali) loose,smelly stools.

Then he proceeds to tell me that he is now feeding Royal canin(maxi) sensitive digestion and his dogs had no allergies,diarreha and their stool was small and had little smell.

How come this is possible if the food,in my opinion,has very bad ingredients. How come some brands make it appear like the dog is utilizing it and digesting it well?.

Is it because it has many ingredients that promote firm stool?.the dogs can’t possibly be digesting it so well and having no issues with such bad composition.

Thank you.

Sincerely. A baffled owner who feeds raw and wants to educate people.

[joanne l]

Thank you Kyle, for the info…I called and they said drs foster and smith makes it. But she spoke with an accent so double check I don’t want to give anyone wrong info.
On another note does anyone know of a dog food with beef and grains in it, I like some grains in my dogs diet. The theory of dogs eating grain free dog food because it is closer to their diet holds no water b/c wolfs don’t eat peas, lentils, chickpeas either. As far as allergies go most dogs are allergic to the protein not the grain. Just wanted to share that.

[Dana D]

Does anyone know when (or if) Dog Food Advisor will be reviewing the new Orijen formula now made in the US??

I am in the process of transitioning my 3.5 year old black Lab from Orijen’s Canadian Adult formula to the new Orijen Original formula out of Kentucky. She’s now eating 50/50–old and new–and here’s what I see happening.

My Lab has always had allergies but it looks like she may be scratching and licking a little more than usual. I have increased her Zyrtec to twice a day (AM & PM) so we’ll see how that goes.

The one big thing I’ve noticed is that her stool is much firmer. She’s always eaten Orijen kibble and her stool has always been a little on the loose side–sometimes more than a little. Not with this US formula, though. Her stool is a lot firmer–completely normal actually–so I can definitely see how a dog that has had normal stools could now be somewhat constipated.

Orijen Customer Service [877-939-0006 if you want to call them] told me before I ordered the new formula that the only difference in the two is that there’s been an increase in the % of protein and also in the % of raw ingredients vs. dehydrated. Now that I can compare the two bags, as others have mentioned, it doesn’t look like that’s exactly true.

I have two 25-lb. bags of the US formula and 3/4 of a bag of the Canadian formula. I’m going to finish the transition and see how she does on the new formula alone. If the scratching get any worse or if she becomes constipated, we’re definitely leaving Orijen. Between their recent big price increase, now another smaller increase (when you calculate the cost /oz. for the smaller bag) and a new and possibly inferior formula, they may no longer be worth it.

[anonymously]

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=raw+diet

More Nonsense from Holistic Vets about Commercial Therapeutic Diets

Hope this helps:

By Klaus Loft, DVM
Angell Dermatology Service

Anyone who suffers debilitating environmental allergies tied to changing seasons, pet dander or household dust mites knows first-hand the misery of a scratchy throat, itchy eyes or painful rashes.

Not everyone knows, however, that our pets can experience similar allergic reactions — and other very bothersome dermatological issues. But our pets need not suffer in silence. Modern veterinary science has evolved such that advanced, comprehensive treatments are now available to treat a range of skin conditions.

Top pet dermatological issues

Our four-legged friends suffer from some of the same skin issues as we do — and several that we do not. The most common conditions we see at Angell include:

•Parasites, such as mites, fleas and mange (scabies)
•Infectious diseases, such as Staphylococcal pyoderma (“Staph”) skin infections, yeast and fungal infections and skin fold infections
•Systemic diseases, such as autoimmune diseases
•Skin cancer, such as Squamous cell carcinoma, cutaneous lymphoma, Mast cell tumors
•Allergies, such as flea allergy dermatitis, adverse food reactions, environmental allergies, etc.

All of these conditions can become serious and, if untreated, dramatically reduce quality of life. But the tremendous strides made in veterinary innovation, however, is very good news for our pets. Specifically, the testing and treatments for allergies now rivals human healthcare in its sophistication, quality of care and long-term health outcomes.

Unlike humans, dogs and cats cannot tell us about their dermatological health issues. So we as pet owners must look for the signs. The most common indicators that a pet is suffering from some kind of allergy involve frequent episodes of ear infections, red raised or open sores on the skin, constant licking or biting of paws or groin — sometimes causing wounds that will not go away.

Allergies present a particular challenge because there can be hundreds (even thousands) of potential allergens that impact pet health, from foods to pollen from grasses, weeds, trees, dust mites and more. Today’s specialty veterinary hospitals have access to the very latest diagnostic tests to get to the bottom of what’s ailing our pet. Among these tests is the Intra Dermal Test (IDT).

IDT is generally considered the gold standard of testing for identifying allergens that cause pets to suffer from chronic skin and/or ear diseases. IDT involves injections of a series of concentrated allergens into the skin to determine which of them generate allergic reactions in a given animal. The use of fluorescein — a chemical that illuminates the inflammation caused by the injected allergens in order to visualize the strength of individual reactions — is key to accurately diagnosing pet allergies, and is just one of the many ways veterinarians use new technologies to improve care and diagnostics.

The results of IDT (as well as a review of the pet’s medical history) can then inform comprehensive immunotherapy treatments to relieve suffering. Veterinary dermatologists rely on IDT to build customized treatment plans for patients called Allergen Specific Immuno Therapy or “ASIT” for short.

ASIT involves a series of injections specifically created for the allergic animal’s skin. These injections, of diluted allergens, are designed to make a pet less sensitive to their allergens over time. In most cases these injections must be continued for life to reduce symptoms, but they are highly effective. Seventy to 90 percent of pets experience a reduction in symptoms as a result of ASIT treatment. These treatments can be delivered even more easily via droplets under the tongue, perfect for pet owners who are squeamish about giving injections to their pet.

This treatment is very new to the North American field of medicine (both human and veterinary) and underscores just how far innovation in veterinary medicine has come.

When it’s time to see the vet

Many pet owners are understandably concerned about taking their animals to the veterinarian because the cost (to say nothing of the fear some animals experience when going do the doctor) may outweigh any perceived reduction in suffering. To help pet owners know when it’s time to bring Fido to the doctor I’ve compiled my “Top Ten” list of dermatological symptoms that should never be ignored:

•Intense itching of the skin (head shaking, running the face into the carpet, furniture, etc.)
•Biting at the skin that creates red, raw crusting areas of the skin
•Multiple ear infections (head shaking, odor from ears, scratching at the ears with hind legs)
•Paw licking or chewing and frequent infections of the skin in the webbed skin of the paws
•Staining of the fur of the paws and nails on multiple feet
•Reoccurring skin infections in the groin, under the shoulders, perianal areas (on or under the tail)
•Greasy scaling skin and/or fur with odorous skin
•Hair loss, or thinning of the fur
•Dark pigmentation of the skin that is chronically infected
•Sudden depigmentation of skin

Allergies and other dermatological issues can be as frustrating for pet owners and their veterinarians as they can be for pets. I encourage any pet owner whose animal is experiencing any of these symptoms to consult with their veterinarian.

[anonymously]

I strongly recommend making an appointment with a Board Certified Veterinary Dermatologist, The food may have nothing to do with his allergies. It is impossible to avoid all allergens, for example: The common household dust mite is everywhere all year round on the skin and dander of all living things and constantly being shed, lots of airborne allergens too. See my posts via the search engine: /forums/search/allergies/

“If the symptoms have been going on for more than 1 year/4 seasons and have not responded in a significant way to treatment by a veterinarian. Consider making an appointment with a dermatologist”.

“This subject comes at least once a week. People are reluctant to go to a specialist because they are concerned about the cost, and yet they end up spending much more going back and forth to the regular vet and trying all kinds of gobbledygook remedies”.

Environmental allergies.
excerpt below from: http://www.2ndchance.info/Apoquel.htm
“Food Allergies are probably over-diagnosed in dogs (they account for, perhaps 5-10%). Hypoallergenic diets are occasionally, but not frequently, helpful in canine atopy cases but you should always give them a try. Food intolerances are more common – but considerably more likely to result in digestive disturbances and diarrhea than in itching problems”.

Mail-in hair and saliva tests do not test for allergies and tend to be inaccurate. Food sensitivities fluctuate. Food allergies are rare.

Also:http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=allergies

[aimee]

Hi Joseph,

I have no doubt that you could post link after link claiming that the carbohydrate level in the diet influences yeast growth on the skin, but none of your links would be to articles authored by board certified veterinary dermatologists, human dermatologists or be from published peer reviewed journals. The reason for that is because there is no link between dietary carbohydrate levels and yeast infection on the skin in people or dogs. There is a lot of misinformation on the web and unfortunately some of it is spread by people who should know better.

I understand that testimonials are compelling, bloodletting used to be the cutting edge of medicine based on the observation that “it worked”. But things that appear to work, when tested can be found not only not “to work” but to cause harm.

You came here asking for help because what you have been doing isn’t working. Be open to new information that takes you in a different direction. Malassezia is secondary to things like environmental allergies, adverse food reactions (allergy), hormonal disorders, immune suppression, parasites… focus on finding and treating the primary cause. In the mean time bathing with an effective shampoo can help your pet immensely.

Best Wishes

[pitlove]

Hi Joseph-

You may disagree with Aimee and with the article she linked, but the information she presented to you is 100% correct. We now know that Malassezia Yeast is indeed NOT fed by carbs as once believed. The only role diet plays in the control of yeast is when a food allergy is involved.

When a food allergy is present, the immune system is weakened and allows the once controlled population of yeast naturally found on the skin, to overpopulate and thus causes a yeast infection. The key to controlling yeast is to remove the allergen trigger from the diet and therefore strengthen the immune system allowing it to do its job; controlling the yeast.

I was once like you and firmly believed that the only way I could control my dogs cronic yeast infections was by limiting or removing carbs from the diet. Once I started reviewing clinical research and discussing the subject with my vet, I realized how wrong I was and why nothing I tried was working. My dog eats a grain inclusive dry kibble with about 40% carbs and is yeast free, with the exception of the summer months when his environmental allergies flare up.

Edit: Also if you believe your dog has a food allergy you will want to do an elimination trial, also called a food trial to diagnois and confirm it. Discuss how this is done with your vet.

[sue102dal]

Melanie L,
Let me state all the FACTS: I was approached by one of my CO-OP members that RAAW ENERGY would like to get into supply pet food thru our group. I spoke extensively with Kitt created polls for my members to provide him with feedback to build a variety of products to offer. He was starting with just six items and grew in one year to 25 items. I had told him he needed to be consistent with the labeling of ingredients in his food and that he needed to advise well in advance any changes so people could either stay with that product or switch to another that their pet would eat without issues as many pets have food allergies or cannot eat certain ingredients he was using. For example my breed should not eat organ meats or red meats. He changed ingredients and many dogs got sick I know of 12 dogs that their vet bills were in the thousands of dollars. Kitt just laughed “Oh Well they’re just dogs.”
He also refused to get USDA inspected as pet food manufacturer which is required by law.
He delivers multiple orders to a site and leaves it exposed to elements fully aware that people may not be able to get to it immediately. His response “Not my problem” not good business!! He is a nice person but a very poor businessman. I have run my Co-Op for over ten years members in NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, DC, VA over 10,000 members and I am certified Animal Nutritionist in all this time have removed only two suppliers from my Co-Op. Kitt was removed after I was inundated with complaints and his bad attitude when these issues were brought to his attention. Nothing I have posted here is fabricated, all facts, you may not like it and neither does Kitt but that’s the facts!!

[Theodore L]

I wrote to ZiwiPeaks about their food since we have a dog with IBD. The following is their email to me: Hi Theodore:
Thank you for your inquiry. We are thrilled that you are looking into feeding ZiwiPeak. We are passionate about pets, and strive to produce the best foods available for our furry friends! Many pet parents with dogs (and cats) suffering from IBS / IBD have found ZiwiPeak to be the perfect diet for their fur babies, due to the lack of fillers, preservatives, grains and other ingredients completely unsuitable to a carnivore’s digestive system. One of the ingredients that is included in ALL ZiwiPeak recipes is cold-washed green tripe. Green tripe is a powerhouse of nutrients, is extremely digestible and palatable and contains probiotics/prebiotics and digestive enzymes which help establish a healthy gut. I will be asking our Office Assistant to mail you a sample packet, and I’ve attached a guide for transitioning your dog. Please refer to the feeding calculator on our website’s homepage for the recommended daily serving. http://www.ziwipeak.com

Here’s some basic information about ZiwiPeak:

All ZiwiPeak recipes and formulas are complete and balanced as a daily diet for ALL breeds, and for ALL life stages. To determine your pet’s recommended feeding amount, please use the feeding calculator on our website’s homepage: http://www.ziwipeak.com

ZiwiPeak gives your pet the equivalent of a raw, wild prey diet and is made from over 95% raw meat and organs, including natural fat and bone. Our food contains no rendered meats or meat by-products. We add no artificial colors or flavors, no carrageenan, no chemical preservatives, no grains or potatoes, and no added salts, sugars, gelatin or glycerines or cheap filler ingredients. These ingredients cannot be efficiently utilized by a carnivore’s digestive system and can contribute to various health issues, including skin & coat problems, itchy skin and ears, yeast infections, allergies, obesity, kidney disease, IBD/IBS and diabetes. ZiwiPeak cuisine is over 95% digestible and extremely palatable to even the most finicky dogs and cats.

ZiwiPeak uses free-range, grass-fed meat raised on traceable, approved New Zealand farms, and seafood caught using ecologically-sustainable practices under New Zealand’s stringent, government-controlled, fish-management system. All meat and seafood we use must be free from added hormones, antibiotics, growth promotants and GMOs. Our added vitamins and minerals are sourced from reputable, traceable suppliers in the USA, Europe and New Zealand and Japan. We do not source any ingredients from China.

We add New Zealand Green-Lipped Mussel to all ZiwiPeak formulas to provide high levels of natural glucosamine, chondroitin, and omega 3 and 6 essential fatty acids, and cold-washed green tripe, which provides important vitamins & minerals, digestive enzymes and probiotics needed for healthy digestion. We are relentless in our commitment to quality and care, operating under the most stringent health and safety standards. Every batch of ZiwiPeak must meet both our own in-house specifications and the highest international benchmarks. All ZiwiPeak products meet or exceed industry standards.

Please let me know if I can be of additional assistance,
Regards,
I did not write her name since I don’t have her permission. I have been transitioning one healthy guy to this food. I am not ready to do the IBD guy yet since he just had a setback and the Vet (Internist does not want any changes). I received a very fast response – I liked it!

[Susan]

Hi Kelli, I’m curious why didn’t you try the Canidae Pure Sea instead of the Pure Land? dogs with skin problems seem to do better on a fish protein then red meats, also Canidae is money back or you can change formulas, maybe change to the Pure Sea there’s also Pure Wild its Pork…
Inked Marie has suggested raw diet, Raw diet is the best to feed, start with a novel protein your boy hasn’t eaten much of or never eaten before…If your worried you can’t balance the raw diet properly then start looking a Pre-made raw diets..
Pitluv is also correct about yeast , its not the sugary carbs causing the yeast, you need to find out what food sensitivities he has & what in the environment he’s might be allergic too, that’s what causing his yeasty skin problem. Some dogs can eat rice, oats, barley, potatoes, peas chicken, beef etc & have no problems, then there’s dogs like ours that can’t eat certain starchy carbs, they start to react too whatever they’re sensitive or allergic too & start to smell like a smelly yeasty dog…
I also have a yeasty, smelly, itchy boy & I’ve finally worked out when Patch eats a kibble with barley, oats, wheat, corn, chicken there’s probably a few more foods as well, he starts to smell itch & have red paws-(chicken & wet grass), it’s sooo hard to pin point what foods are causing this when they’re eating a kibble.. Foods I thought were the problem years ago I have re-introduced this year & Patch is OK with them, your best off doing an elimination diet & not feeding a kibble unless you can get a kibble with just 2-3 ingredients, there’s “California Natural” Lamb & Rice it has just 3 ingredients.
http://www.californianaturalpet.com/products

Environment Allergies is way too hard to work out but there’s a test called “Intradermal Skin Test” here’s a video showing what’s done. this test is best done after you’ve tried eliminating foods on a raw or cooked diet, bathed twice a week & if he’s still having problems then its probably environment allergies.

As time goes by you will start to have an idea, what he’s sensitive/allergic too, keep a diary & write down times, dates & months when he’s having a flare, my boy has Seasonal Environment Allergies fine thru the winter months as long as he doesn’t eat any food/ingredients he’s sensitive too & then Summer months come & he’s a mess with hive like lumps all over where his fur is white & where his fur is white the skin goes red……
Baths are the best to relieve their itch & calm down the skin, I use Malaseb medicated shampoo, it works the best for Patches yeasty itchy skin & creams, I use Hydrocortisone
1% cream when his paws are red & around mouth & chin is red.. Every night before bed I check his whole body & apply the cream…
Also start adding tin sardines in spring water/oil to his kibble add about 1 spoon a day, make sure he’s getting his omega 3 fatty acids & vitamin C is suppose to work as an anti- histamine.. http://naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/Shop/2016/03/22/skin-allergies/

[Susan]

Hi Peter, I have the same problem with my dog Patch that has IBD & food/skin allergies, tooo many big poo’s on certain kibbles…..Look at the Protein % as well, too much protein can also make poos bigger & softer, when my IBD boy eats a kibble with 30% & over in protein, he does 4-5 poos a day & when he eats kibbles with fillers like corn, gluten meal, barley, oats, millet, he gets itchy smelly skin & does big sloppy poos.. when I feed a kibble with under 30% protein around 26% protein & grain free with limited ingredients, my boy does only 2 poos a day…Taste Of The Wild, Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb seems to suit him the best out of all the kibbles I have tried & Canidae Pure Land, he does 1-2 small poos a day. Both these kibbles have limited ingredients…

Just keep rotating different brands of kibble until you work out which brands your pup does the best on, then rotate between them, never just feed the same brand for years & years also start adding some fresh whole foods to his kibble as well…

Finally people are telling these pet food industries, we’ve had enough, we love our pets & we want the best for them & don’t want to feed a kibble with maize, corn gluten meal, beet pulp, tallow, by-product meats, preservatives, food colouring etc…..
Back in the 1940-1980 dogs were feed table scraps & those dogs were much more healthier, they were not feed processed kibbles with maize/corn, gluten meal & by-product meats, they ate what we ate…then in the 90’s Hills & a few other pet food companies started saying, Don’t feed foods we eat, it’s not good for your dog, your dog needs a well balanced diet dry KIBBLE & people followed like sheep & still to this day, there’s still some un educated people who say “Oh no, you can’t feed your dogs & cats foods we eat”…..
50 yrs later finally people like Rodney Habib (someone you should follow on F/B) is saying enough is enough to these pet food companies & educating people to feed fresh meats, fresh fruits, fresh veggies again like our parents did…..Back in the 50’s 60’s & 70’s, dogs didn’t get cancer & have all these food & skin allergies, dogs didn’t have as many health problems as they do today, why??
Watch a video Rodney Habib put together called “Maggies Story the Oldest Dog in the World” Maggie was a kelpie X Cattle dog that lived on a dairy farm, Victoria Australia, she wasn’t over vaccinated, she only had her puppy vaccinations, she wasn’t desexed until she was 14yr old cause a dairy worker brought his dog with him & Maggie fell pregnant, she lived till she was 30yrs old & just passed away in her sleep this year…she wasn’t feed kibble, you have to watch the video to see what she ate & drank…

Your on the right track, you’ve know about ingredients in kibbles, now start looking at healthy foods to add to the kibble, they did a study & found dogs that were feed 1 tablespoon of fresh foods added to kibble just 3 times a week reduced their chances of getting cancer, the post is on Rodney Habib F/B page, there’s lots of excellent info on Rodney F/B page https://www.facebook.com/rodneyhabib/?pnref=story

Have you tried Ziwi Peak Air dried raw?, I use the Ziwi Peak as treats when I don’t have any fruit like apple, water melon or raw almonds & I have just started my 5 month kitten on the cat Ziwi Peak & then when she loses her teeth I will be giving her a chicken wing once a week to clean her teeth, look after your pups teeth, small breeds are prone to teeth problems, give a raw chicken wing once/twice a week for breakfast, peel off the skin so there’s less fat…also email kibble companies & ask for samples..Ziwi Peak sends out samples http://www.ziwipeak.com Good-Luck

[Liz D]

Thanks for the suggestion! The Nutrisca looks good as far as triggers go but it says its isn’t “complete and balanced.” I will run it by my vet as well. I may end up cooking for him in the interim. Sad that cooking his food is cheaper than Orijen! I just need to find something to take when we board them in November. Cooking isn’t an option then!

Our poor guy has so many allergies he has 2 vials of serum. He’s even allergic to us and himself (dog and human dander)!

Hopefully this will work out.

Thanks!

[Liz D]

Hello!

My 8 year old GSD also has extreme allergies. We had him tested so we know food and environmental triggers. He takes injections for the environmental.

We had been using Orijen for the past 2 years however, with the formula change, it is triggering a reaction again. While I’m not seeing anything odd on the ingredient list, something with the new formula isn’t working.

His major trigger is Brewer’s Yeast followed by beef, lamb, grains, venison, rice, potato, milk, kangaroo and rabbit. The fish mix (63) was below the standard for marking it an allergy but marked higher than chicken (36) or turkey (33). Pork was a zero followed by duck which is 12. (90 being the benchmark to make it an allergy)

I thought the Annamaet would work until I saw Selenium Yeast which is another name for Brewer’s Yeast. If anyone has any suggestions I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks so much!

[pitlove]

Hi Kelli-

I’ve noticed a trend with the advice given for yeasty dogs…”no carbs because they feed yeast”. Highly incorrect and probably what is keeping you from truly being able to help your dog heal. I went through the same issue myself.

Yeast naturally grows on the dog, but when the immune system is working at its optimal potential it can keep the yeast from overpopulating. When something like allergies (food or environmental) is suppressing the dogs immune system it can’t fight off the yeast. To control the yeast the trigger causing the allergic response needs to be removed. If you believe food is the issue talk to your vet about a proper elimination diet. It is the golden standard for diagnosing food allergies.

[anonymously]

Have you tried the search engine here? Example: /forums/search/allergies/

If your vet has not been helpful, consider seeing a specialist. A board certified veterinary dermatologist, he will decide what testing is indicated to properly diagnose your dog.
Her allergies may be environmental and have nothing to do with the food.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 7 months ago by anonymously.

[Kelli M]

Hi, I have a one year old mix and am desperately seeking answers. We have spent so much money on vet bills, the most recent being Monday with no answers. I have discovered all on my own that I am not only dealing with allergies but a very yeasty miserable pup. Is there a diet out there that does not have the following?

No poultry of any kind
No grains
No ingredients that break down into sugar

She is currently on candidae bison and sweet potatoes, with the sweet potatoes playing a role in this. Hoping anyone can help. Any other suggestions on how to treat gut/skin would be helpful as well. Thank you!

• This topic was modified 9 years, 7 months ago by Kelli M. Reason: Misspoke

[Dick W]

My mother-in-law has a Jack Russell/wiener mix that is allergic to just about everything. We’re looking for a dry food that is grain free (tons of those) AND potato/pea/garbanzo free. She feeds raw food in the morning but would like a dry with a better variety of nutrients.

Dose anyone know of a dry that meets these restrictions?

[anonymously]

Atopic dermatitis is a hypersensitivity or over-reaction to a variety of commonplace and otherwise harmless substances in the environment such as plant pollens, house dust mites or mold spores. Most pets with atopic dermatitis either inhale or absorb their allergens through their skin. Allergy tests are used to identify what a pet is allergic to in their environment.

There are two types of allergy tests, the intradermal allergy test and blood testing for allergies (serologic allergy testing). In an intradermal allergy test, the fur is clipped on one side of the chest and very small amounts of common allergens are injected into the skin. This test is very precise and is only performed by Veterinary Dermatology services. Because most pets with environmental allergies become exposed to their allergens through their skin, the intradermal allergy test may also best simulate a pet’s natural allergies. In a blood allergy test, a blood sample is obtained and submitted to a laboratory for testing.

If a pet is diagnosed with atopic dermatitis, there are three methods of therapy. The first method of therapy involves removing the allergen from the pet’s environment. Unfortunately, this is not possible in most cases. The second method of therapy involves the use of anti-itch drugs such as anti-histamines or steroids (cortisone). Some of these anti-itch medications do not work in every pet. Other pets develop side-effects from taking certain anti-itch medications.

The third method of therapy for atopic dermatitis (environmental allergies) is allergy injections. Other names for allergy injections include desensitization, hyposensitization, allergy vaccine, or allergen-specific immunotherapy. Immunotherapy involves a series of injections of diluted allergens. Over time, these injections make a pet less sensitive to their allergens and thus less allergic. Most pet owners are able to learn how to give the injections at home. When based on the results of intradermal allergy testing, immunotherapy helps manage the allergies in approximately 70-90% of pets. Most pets will respond to immunotherapy within 6-9 months, but some pets will require up to a year of immunotherapy injections before a full benefit can be noted.

Allergy Diagnosis and Management
Allergies are a common cause of skin and ear conditions in pets. Dogs and cats with allergies may scratch, chew, lick their paws, rub their face or have recurrent ear infections.

Three types of allergies are common in dogs and cats: food allergies, flea allergy dermatitis and atopic dermatitis (environmental allergies). We offer:
•Intradermal and serologic allergy testing for atopic dermatitis
•On-site, custom immunotherapy formulation for the treatment of atopic dermatitis
•Custom diet formulation for food allergies with the Angell Nutrition Specialty Service

Above are excerpts from:https://www.mspca.org/angell_services/dermatology-allergies/

PS: The initial testing is expensive (dermatologist) but the maintenance isn’t that bad, I found the treatment ASIT (allergen-specific immunotherapy) to be effective.
The house mite is a common allergen, it is microscopic and everywhere all year round.
Impossible to avoid…….see how the fall and winter go. Good luck

[anonymously]

It sounds like it could be environmental allergies which would have nothing to do with the food. If it has been going on for a while and the regular vet hasn’t been helpful I would suggest making an appointment with a veterinary dermatologist and see what diagnostic testing he recommends.
Have you used the search engine here?
Example: “If the symptoms have been going on for more than 1 year/4 seasons and have not responded in a significant way to treatment by a veterinarian. Consider making an appointment with a dermatologist”.

This subject comes at least once a week. People are reluctant to go to a specialist because they are concerned about the cost, and yet they end up spending much more going back and forth to the regular vet and trying all kinds of gobbledygook remedies.

Environmental allergies.
excerpt below from: http://www.2ndchance.info/Apoquel.htm
“Food Allergies are probably over-diagnosed in dogs (they account for, perhaps 5-10%). Hypoallergenic diets are occasionally, but not frequently, helpful in canine atopy cases but you should always give them a try. Food intolerances are more common – but considerably more likely to result in digestive disturbances and diarrhea than in itching problems”.

Mail-in hair and saliva tests do not test for allergies and tend to be inaccurate. Food sensitivities fluctuate. Food allergies are rare.

Also:http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=allergies

Hope this helps:
By Klaus Loft, DVM
Angell Dermatology Service

Anyone who suffers debilitating environmental allergies tied to changing seasons, pet dander or household dust mites knows first-hand the misery of a scratchy throat, itchy eyes or painful rashes.

Not everyone knows, however, that our pets can experience similar allergic reactions — and other very bothersome dermatological issues. But our pets need not suffer in silence. Modern veterinary science has evolved such that advanced, comprehensive treatments are now available to treat a range of skin conditions.

Top pet dermatological issues

Our four-legged friends suffer from some of the same skin issues as we do — and several that we do not. The most common conditions we see at Angell include:

•Parasites, such as mites, fleas and mange (scabies)
•Infectious diseases, such as Staphylococcal pyoderma (“Staph”) skin infections, yeast and fungal infections and skin fold infections
•Systemic diseases, such as autoimmune diseases
•Skin cancer, such as Squamous cell carcinoma, cutaneous lymphoma, Mast cell tumors
•Allergies, such as flea allergy dermatitis, adverse food reactions, environmental allergies, etc.

All of these conditions can become serious and, if untreated, dramatically reduce quality of life. But the tremendous strides made in veterinary innovation, however, is very good news for our pets. Specifically, the testing and treatments for allergies now rivals human healthcare in its sophistication, quality of care and long-term health outcomes.

Unlike humans, dogs and cats cannot tell us about their dermatological health issues. So we as pet owners must look for the signs. The most common indicators that a pet is suffering from some kind of allergy involve frequent episodes of ear infections, red raised or open sores on the skin, constant licking or biting of paws or groin — sometimes causing wounds that will not go away.

Allergies present a particular challenge because there can be hundreds (even thousands) of potential allergens that impact pet health, from foods to pollen from grasses, weeds, trees, dust mites and more. Today’s specialty veterinary hospitals have access to the very latest diagnostic tests to get to the bottom of what’s ailing our pet. Among these tests is the Intra Dermal Test (IDT).

IDT is generally considered the gold standard of testing for identifying allergens that cause pets to suffer from chronic skin and/or ear diseases. IDT involves injections of a series of concentrated allergens into the skin to determine which of them generate allergic reactions in a given animal. The use of fluorescein — a chemical that illuminates the inflammation caused by the injected allergens in order to visualize the strength of individual reactions — is key to accurately diagnosing pet allergies, and is just one of the many ways veterinarians use new technologies to improve care and diagnostics.

The results of IDT (as well as a review of the pet’s medical history) can then inform comprehensive immunotherapy treatments to relieve suffering. Veterinary dermatologists rely on IDT to build customized treatment plans for patients called Allergen Specific Immuno Therapy or “ASIT” for short.

ASIT involves a series of injections specifically created for the allergic animal’s skin. These injections, of diluted allergens, are designed to make a pet less sensitive to their allergens over time. In most cases these injections must be continued for life to reduce symptoms, but they are highly effective. Seventy to 90 percent of pets experience a reduction in symptoms as a result of ASIT treatment. These treatments can be delivered even more easily via droplets under the tongue, perfect for pet owners who are squeamish about giving injections to their pet.

This treatment is very new to the North American field of medicine (both human and veterinary) and underscores just how far innovation in veterinary medicine has come.

When it’s time to see the vet

Many pet owners are understandably concerned about taking their animals to the veterinarian because the cost (to say nothing of the fear some animals experience when going do the doctor) may outweigh any perceived reduction in suffering. To help pet owners know when it’s time to bring Fido to the doctor I’ve compiled my “Top Ten” list of dermatological symptoms that should never be ignored:

•Intense itching of the skin (head shaking, running the face into the carpet, furniture, etc.)
•Biting at the skin that creates red, raw crusting areas of the skin
•Multiple ear infections (head shaking, odor from ears, scratching at the ears with hind legs)
•Paw licking or chewing and frequent infections of the skin in the webbed skin of the paws
•Staining of the fur of the paws and nails on multiple feet
•Reoccurring skin infections in the groin, under the shoulders, perianal areas (on or under the tail)
•Greasy scaling skin and/or fur with odorous skin
•Hair loss, or thinning of the fur
•Dark pigmentation of the skin that is chronically infected
•Sudden depigmentation of skin

Allergies and other dermatological issues can be as frustrating for pet owners and their veterinarians as they can be for pets. I encourage any pet owner whose animal is experiencing any of these symptoms to consult with their veterinarian

[Marissa B]

My puppy Harvey is one year old, and ever since May he has had pretty bad allergies. From when he was a puppy we had him on blue buffalo chicken and rice large breed puppy and then he got bad itchy welts with diarrhea. Then we switched him to Zignature salmon (limited ingredient diet). That seemed to work for about a month or so, the welts came back, his hair started coming out and diarrhea also followed along with vomiting. We took him to the vet, chest and stomach xray came back normal, blood levels came back normal in his cbc and LFTs. They gave us a medicated shampoo, started him on Hill prescription zd and started him on steroids. Needless to say reading the ingredients on this hills I’m not overly impressed, seems like there is a lot of fillers and its 90$ a bag!!! I don’t mind paying if it works, but now it seems like his welts are back, he won’t eat the food unless we put sweat potatoes on top and his shampoo isn’t helping. I’m lost at what to do, every time he comes off steroids he gets the welts back. I don’t have enough money to keep taking him to the vet every few weeks for tests and drugs and food etc. I’m considering a raw diet possibly because every time we put him on the bland diet he is completely fine with no itching and welts and long term steroid use at his age scares me. Any advice is greatly appreciated! 🙂

[Suzanne F]

Yes dogs can eat pork, according to my very astute vet. My dog eats PRIMAL raw food. He suggests the pork and nothing else. My dog has a sensitive stomach and environmental allergy issues. So we need to stay away from chicken & beef as much as possible, because those with allergies are more susceptible to developing food allergies, chicken & beef #1. Lamb is too rich for him and some of the more novel proteins are too rich. I told him that he turns away from salmon and krill oil on his food so I need to give it to him in a pill pocket. My vet suggested I give a small fingertip taste of lard. He’ll get the omega 3’s he needs and his coat will be shining.

[anonymously]

Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea is a small size kibble with limited ingredients, check reviews on Chewy.com.
Also, don’t leave food down, feed twice a day and pick up anything not eaten and store in the fridg, offer at next meal time. Make sure she is drinking water, maybe add a splash to her food.
Keep your eye on that pruritus, it could be environmental allergies which would have nothing to do with the food. Use the search engine here to search “allergies”

Hope this helps

By Klaus Loft, DVM
Angell Dermatology Service

Anyone who suffers debilitating environmental allergies tied to changing seasons, pet dander or household dust mites knows first-hand the misery of a scratchy throat, itchy eyes or painful rashes.

Not everyone knows, however, that our pets can experience similar allergic reactions — and other very bothersome dermatological issues. But our pets need not suffer in silence. Modern veterinary science has evolved such that advanced, comprehensive treatments are now available to treat a range of skin conditions.

Top pet dermatological issues

Our four-legged friends suffer from some of the same skin issues as we do — and several that we do not. The most common conditions we see at Angell include:

•Parasites, such as mites, fleas and mange (scabies)
•Infectious diseases, such as Staphylococcal pyoderma (“Staph”) skin infections, yeast and fungal infections and skin fold infections
•Systemic diseases, such as autoimmune diseases
•Skin cancer, such as Squamous cell carcinoma, cutaneous lymphoma, Mast cell tumors
•Allergies, such as flea allergy dermatitis, adverse food reactions, environmental allergies, etc.

All of these conditions can become serious and, if untreated, dramatically reduce quality of life. But the tremendous strides made in veterinary innovation, however, is very good news for our pets. Specifically, the testing and treatments for allergies now rivals human healthcare in its sophistication, quality of care and long-term health outcomes.

Unlike humans, dogs and cats cannot tell us about their dermatological health issues. So we as pet owners must look for the signs. The most common indicators that a pet is suffering from some kind of allergy involve frequent episodes of ear infections, red raised or open sores on the skin, constant licking or biting of paws or groin — sometimes causing wounds that will not go away.

Allergies present a particular challenge because there can be hundreds (even thousands) of potential allergens that impact pet health, from foods to pollen from grasses, weeds, trees, dust mites and more. Today’s specialty veterinary hospitals have access to the very latest diagnostic tests to get to the bottom of what’s ailing our pet. Among these tests is the Intra Dermal Test (IDT).

IDT is generally considered the gold standard of testing for identifying allergens that cause pets to suffer from chronic skin and/or ear diseases. IDT involves injections of a series of concentrated allergens into the skin to determine which of them generate allergic reactions in a given animal. The use of fluorescein — a chemical that illuminates the inflammation caused by the injected allergens in order to visualize the strength of individual reactions — is key to accurately diagnosing pet allergies, and is just one of the many ways veterinarians use new technologies to improve care and diagnostics.

The results of IDT (as well as a review of the pet’s medical history) can then inform comprehensive immunotherapy treatments to relieve suffering. Veterinary dermatologists rely on IDT to build customized treatment plans for patients called Allergen Specific Immuno Therapy or “ASIT” for short.

ASIT involves a series of injections specifically created for the allergic animal’s skin. These injections, of diluted allergens, are designed to make a pet less sensitive to their allergens over time. In most cases these injections must be continued for life to reduce symptoms, but they are highly effective. Seventy to 90 percent of pets experience a reduction in symptoms as a result of ASIT treatment. These treatments can be delivered even more easily via droplets under the tongue, perfect for pet owners who are squeamish about giving injections to their pet.

This treatment is very new to the North American field of medicine (both human and veterinary) and underscores just how far innovation in veterinary medicine has come.

When it’s time to see the vet

Many pet owners are understandably concerned about taking their animals to the veterinarian because the cost (to say nothing of the fear some animals experience when going do the doctor) may outweigh any perceived reduction in suffering. To help pet owners know when it’s time to bring Fido to the doctor I’ve compiled my “Top Ten” list of dermatological symptoms that should never be ignored:

•Intense itching of the skin (head shaking, running the face into the carpet, furniture, etc.)
•Biting at the skin that creates red, raw crusting areas of the skin
•Multiple ear infections (head shaking, odor from ears, scratching at the ears with hind legs)
•Paw licking or chewing and frequent infections of the skin in the webbed skin of the paws
•Staining of the fur of the paws and nails on multiple feet
•Reoccurring skin infections in the groin, under the shoulders, perianal areas (on or under the tail)
•Greasy scaling skin and/or fur with odorous skin
•Hair loss, or thinning of the fur
•Dark pigmentation of the skin that is chronically infected
•Sudden depigmentation of skin

Allergies and other dermatological issues can be as frustrating for pet owners and their veterinarians as they can be for pets. I encourage any pet owner whose animal is experiencing any of these symptoms to consult with their veterinarian.

[anonymously]

“I’ve been Googling this and can’t find any research, but wondering if anyone here has any information on histamine intolerance in dogs? Not food allergies, but histamine intolerance. I, myself, have histamine intolerance and have to be very, very careful about the meat I eat. It has to be as fresh as possible, and quickly thawed (either in microwave or water), cooked and eaten immediately. No leftovers- the reason for which is that bacteria release histamine (and other amines) as the flesh decomposes. So the longer it’s been since meat was butchered, the higher the histamine content”.

Unless you are getting your advice from a veterinarian that has examined your dog, it may all be gobbledygook and mean nothing. Dr Google is not always accurate.
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=Dr+Google

[Susan]

Hi Jenny was ur dog eating the same food/diet in winter & was OK? then Summer came along & the itchy skin started. Your dog could have Environment Allergies, my boy has both Seasonal Environment allergies & food sensitivities in Spring & Summer he has the hive like lumps all over the white fur, poos are sloppy some days… With food sensitivities they will have more stomach/bowel problems, ear, anal glad & red paws etc…Baths are the best weekly or twice a week when the itch is bad give a bath, I use Malaseb medicated shampoo, wipes after being outside, I buy the Huggies Cucumber & Aloe baby wipes & wipe Patch down after being outside when he has his hive like lumps all over white fur & skin.. Creams I use Hydrocortisone 1% cream on red paws & on red skin & Sudocrem to act as a barrier on Patches paws when it rains he gets red paws & when he eats certain foods he’s sensitive too he gets red paws… Start keeping a diary & you will start to see a pattern over the years, if you have the money book & see a Animal Dermatologist to work out is it Environment Allergies or Food Sensitivities or both.. In Australia we use Vitamin C, here’s a link about skin allergies clink on “Skin System” on the left. http://www.naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/education.php

[Jenny C]

I’ve been Googling this and can’t find any research, but wondering if anyone here has any information on histamine intolerance in dogs? Not food allergies, but histamine intolerance. I, myself, have histamine intolerance and have to be very, very careful about the meat I eat. It has to be as fresh as possible, and quickly thawed (either in microwave or water), cooked and eaten immediately. No leftovers- the reason for which is that bacteria release histamine (and other amines) as the flesh decomposes. So the longer it’s been since meat was butchered, the higher the histamine content.

My 2 yr old shih tzu has been having very bad itching this entire summer. I’ve tried adding ACV to his food, fish oil, quercitin/bromelain, and switching to “cool” foods via TCM/Yin-Yang theories. So far, no success. I read somewhere that histamines in dogs are released mainly into their skin (whereas in humans, it can affect SO many different parts of the body). I’m wondering if he has seasonal allergies due to pollens, trees, grasses, etc and it’s been exacerbated by the raw food I feed him. I get my food from a local raw food processor, it’s mostly ground meat/bone/organ- and just the act of being ground at the butcher and sitting out in their deli case or freezer means that it’s not as fresh as a cut of meat would be, therefore the histamine content is already higher. Then I take it home, thaw it, portion it out, refreeze, then thaw again the day of feeding, adding more to the histamine content. So even though it’s fresh, local meat- it’s not actually “fresh” in the sense that it’s probably been at least a few weeks since it’s been butchered, and probably has higher histamine content by the time I feed it.

If you’re not familiar with histamine intolerance, they often talk about a “histamine bucket” whereby every little bit of histamine put into the body (food, stress, pollen, etc) builds, until it spills over into a reaction. So that is why I’m wondering if summer pollen plus the “not the most fresh” raw food I’m feeding could possibly be causing his severe itching. Start googling “histamine intolerance”- it’s really interesting and it was the answer to a lot of my own chronic illness issues.

Has anyone here experimented with feeding their dogs the absolutely freshest meat possible with the lowest histamine content and had any success with cutting down on allergy symptoms?

I’m wondering if there’s really a good way to feed raw and extremely fresh at the same time- I’m not really into the idea of buying huge parts of animals from local farmers and butchering them myself! I might try feeding my dog the fresh/cooked meat that I eat for a few days and see if I notice any difference in his itching.

In this sense, there’s probably no kibble or prepared raw food out there that would be considered “low histamine” then, right?

[Alex J]

Hello, I am in need of some advice on small dog. I have two small dogs a 10 year old miniature Doberman pincher and a 9 year old miniature dachshund. The dachshund is a puppy mill rescue we adopted a year ago. The problem I am running into is my dachshund came to us with all his teeth pulled out and he refuses soft foods, so I have to buy extra small dog food. The minpin has allergies and has a sensitive stomach. he is generally an itchy dog and has asthma so I can’t risk him having a reaction to his food. Right now they eat Royal Canin mini special dog they seem to be ok with this but I would like to add variety and don’t know which ones are best. Please help

[Jessica K]

Hey everyone! Thank you for all of the replies!

Dog foodie:
Before I went to this new vet, yes, he was still being raw fed and perfectly fine on it. His skin reactions had completely subsided (with the exception of whenever he ate something off the floor, sigh) and he has not had an ear infection since. I live in the middle of nowhere so I don’t think there would be a holistic vet in my local area, but I’m sure there’s one not too far from where I live. I’ll look into it, thanks!

Shawna & Inked Marie:
After posting, I spoke to a couple of other local vets in the area who have all told me the same thing you guys have – chicken is fine but not on its own and that I would need to rotate proteins.

Anonymously:
My dog is only a year old. He was being monitored for his allergies and diet change from November to April by my former vet. His labs after we made the change came back normal and was given a good bill of health. His weight and condition has not changed since. The new vet did not even give him an exam – I only went in for this vaccines. She asked about his diet, refused to give me any advice on making adjustments to his diet, and then claimed I was abusing him. I do understand what you mean about taking advice from other strangers online but I just wanted to see if anyone else had a similar experience. I am already working with another vet and we have a consult tomorrow morning.

[anonymously]

If the symptoms have been going on for more than 1 year/4 seasons and have not responded in a significant way to treatment by a veterinarian. Consider making an appointment with a dermatologist.

This subject comes at least once a week. People are reluctant to go to a specialist because they are concerned about the cost, and yet they end up spending much more going back and forth to the regular vet and trying all kinds of gobbledygook remedies.

Environmental allergies.
excerpt below from: http://www.2ndchance.info/Apoquel.htm
“Food Allergies are probably over-diagnosed in dogs (they account for, perhaps 5-10%). Hypoallergenic diets are occasionally, but not frequently, helpful in canine atopy cases but you should always give them a try. Food intolerances are more common – but considerably more likely to result in digestive disturbances and diarrhea than in itching problems”.

Mail-in hair and saliva tests do not test for allergies and tend to be inaccurate. Food sensitivities fluctuate. Food allergies are rare.

Also:http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=allergies

[anonymously]

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=raw+diet

More Nonsense from Holistic Vets about Commercial Therapeutic Diets

Regarding the allergies, consider seeing a veterinary dermatologist:

By Klaus Loft, DVM
Angell Dermatology Service

Anyone who suffers debilitating environmental allergies tied to changing seasons, pet dander or household dust mites knows first-hand the misery of a scratchy throat, itchy eyes or painful rashes.

Not everyone knows, however, that our pets can experience similar allergic reactions — and other very bothersome dermatological issues. But our pets need not suffer in silence. Modern veterinary science has evolved such that advanced, comprehensive treatments are now available to treat a range of skin conditions.

Top pet dermatological issues

Our four-legged friends suffer from some of the same skin issues as we do — and several that we do not. The most common conditions we see at Angell include:

•Parasites, such as mites, fleas and mange (scabies)
•Infectious diseases, such as Staphylococcal pyoderma (“Staph”) skin infections, yeast and fungal infections and skin fold infections
•Systemic diseases, such as autoimmune diseases
•Skin cancer, such as Squamous cell carcinoma, cutaneous lymphoma, Mast cell tumors
•Allergies, such as flea allergy dermatitis, adverse food reactions, environmental allergies, etc.

All of these conditions can become serious and, if untreated, dramatically reduce quality of life. But the tremendous strides made in veterinary innovation, however, is very good news for our pets. Specifically, the testing and treatments for allergies now rivals human healthcare in its sophistication, quality of care and long-term health outcomes.

Unlike humans, dogs and cats cannot tell us about their dermatological health issues. So we as pet owners must look for the signs. The most common indicators that a pet is suffering from some kind of allergy involve frequent episodes of ear infections, red raised or open sores on the skin, constant licking or biting of paws or groin — sometimes causing wounds that will not go away.

Allergies present a particular challenge because there can be hundreds (even thousands) of potential allergens that impact pet health, from foods to pollen from grasses, weeds, trees, dust mites and more. Today’s specialty veterinary hospitals have access to the very latest diagnostic tests to get to the bottom of what’s ailing our pet. Among these tests is the Intra Dermal Test (IDT).

IDT is generally considered the gold standard of testing for identifying allergens that cause pets to suffer from chronic skin and/or ear diseases. IDT involves injections of a series of concentrated allergens into the skin to determine which of them generate allergic reactions in a given animal. The use of fluorescein — a chemical that illuminates the inflammation caused by the injected allergens in order to visualize the strength of individual reactions — is key to accurately diagnosing pet allergies, and is just one of the many ways veterinarians use new technologies to improve care and diagnostics.

The results of IDT (as well as a review of the pet’s medical history) can then inform comprehensive immunotherapy treatments to relieve suffering. Veterinary dermatologists rely on IDT to build customized treatment plans for patients called Allergen Specific Immuno Therapy or “ASIT” for short.

ASIT involves a series of injections specifically created for the allergic animal’s skin. These injections, of diluted allergens, are designed to make a pet less sensitive to their allergens over time. In most cases these injections must be continued for life to reduce symptoms, but they are highly effective. Seventy to 90 percent of pets experience a reduction in symptoms as a result of ASIT treatment. These treatments can be delivered even more easily via droplets under the tongue, perfect for pet owners who are squeamish about giving injections to their pet.

This treatment is very new to the North American field of medicine (both human and veterinary) and underscores just how far innovation in veterinary medicine has come.

When it’s time to see the vet

Many pet owners are understandably concerned about taking their animals to the veterinarian because the cost (to say nothing of the fear some animals experience when going do the doctor) may outweigh any perceived reduction in suffering. To help pet owners know when it’s time to bring Fido to the doctor I’ve compiled my “Top Ten” list of dermatological symptoms that should never be ignored:

•Intense itching of the skin (head shaking, running the face into the carpet, furniture, etc.)
•Biting at the skin that creates red, raw crusting areas of the skin
•Multiple ear infections (head shaking, odor from ears, scratching at the ears with hind legs)
•Paw licking or chewing and frequent infections of the skin in the webbed skin of the paws
•Staining of the fur of the paws and nails on multiple feet
•Reoccurring skin infections in the groin, under the shoulders, perianal areas (on or under the tail)
•Greasy scaling skin and/or fur with odorous skin
•Hair loss, or thinning of the fur
•Dark pigmentation of the skin that is chronically infected
•Sudden depigmentation of skin

Allergies and other dermatological issues can be as frustrating for pet owners and their veterinarians as they can be for pets. I encourage any pet owner whose animal is experiencing any of these symptoms to consult with their veterinarian.

[Lacy L]

Randi m. ,
I’m sure you already found a food for your fur baby but I wanted to let you know that Zignature make a great food for our pups with allergies. My baby loves the kangaroo formula and she’s allergic to everything! But this works for her 🙂